BOMBELLES

bombelles, marc marie, marquis de (1744-1822), french diplomatist and ecclesiastic, was the son of the comte de bombelles, tutor and guardian of the duke of orleans. he was born at bitsch in lorraine, and served in the army through the seven years' war. in 1765 he entered the diplomatic service, and after several diplomatic missions became ambassador of france to portugal in 1786, being charged to win over that country to the family compact; but the madness of the queen and then the death of the king prevented his success. he was transferred to vienna early in 1789, but the revolution cut short his diplomatic career, and he was deprived of his post in september 1790. he remained attached to louis